The Disability-led U.K. production outfit Rockerdale Studios founder Michelle Singer has spoken with Variety on how she and Stu Richards produced the BBC special and how they convinced Michael Sheen to be the first interviewee:
Was it difficult to get Michael Sheen to take part?
Michael Sheen is so right for this particular BBC special and he’s also a very thoughtful and intelligent guy. And not only does he have very strong beliefs, which he communicates, but he also has the ability to be very funny and very playful too and that makes him ideal. Questions will in a heartbeat go from truly profound to utterly frivolous. So to be able to go with that particular flow is really special. There are other publicists, agents, managers of really significant named talent who are very up for being available should we move to series.
She also revealed whether the contributors were familiar with Michael:
A lot of them knew who he was already and had some astonishing questions. One guy in particular, who’s a real “Top Gear” fan, knew the speed at which Michael Sheen had completed his [lap when he appeared as a guest in 2013]. There were lots of fans of the “Twilight” series or various other shows of his. Somebody who was obsessed with his “Simpsons” episode – understandably!